I've been watching the discussion about women and religiously-based
empowerment (or lack thereof) with great interest. Today's message from
Geeta prompts me to add some comments of my own.
I was raised in a Protestant Christian household (Lutheran, to be exact),
and i had it literally beaten into me (by my mother!) that women are born
sinful. She based her ideas on the fact that it was Eve who caused the fall
from Paradise.
When I first began exploring Qur'anic notions of men and women, I was
attracted by the fact that the Qur'an states over and over again that men
and women are equal. They hold equal responsibility for all their actions,
from Eden on down.
But after a lengthy period among Muslims, I realized that men (beginning
with Abu Bakr), had subverted the message and reinstated patriarchal
controls on women.
The same holds true for Christianity, of course. Jesus preached that men and
women were equal, but Paul put them back "in their place."
I've gone back to Christianity because I feel more comfortable with the
rites and rituals, but in truth, i find most religions lacking. In the end
it seems to come down not to "religion," but faith.
I really don't give a damn about what the men say about women and their
supposed inferiority any more.
It seems that too many of them just don't want to give up their notions of
power.
The next prophet to come along will likely try to equalize the two again,
but after a generation or so, it'll just be back the way it was.
I don't want to see the tables turned and women put into positions of power.
I would just like to see both acknowledge each other as truly equal in all
respects.
Peace,
Silke Force
a.k.a. The Denizen of Damascus
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